Craft Beer & Sports: The Perfect Pairing

Gone are the days when watching sports meant settling for mass-produced lagers with little character or depth. The craft beer revolution has transformed the sports bar experience, offering fans a chance to explore complex, flavorful brews while enjoying their favorite games. At Chorny Sreda, we take pride in our carefully curated selection of craft beers from across the UK and beyond. In this guide, we'll explore how to pair different styles of craft beer with various sporting events to elevate your viewing experience.

Why Craft Beer and Sports?

Beer and sports have always been natural companions, but the rise of craft brewing has added a new dimension to this classic pairing. Here's why craft beer enhances the sports viewing experience:

• Variety: With countless styles, flavors, and strengths, there's a craft beer for every taste preference and sporting occasion.
• Local connection: Many craft breweries have strong ties to their local communities and sports teams, creating a more authentic experience.
• Conversation starter: Sharing opinions on a unique craft beer can be just as engaging as debating that controversial referee decision.
• Session options: Modern craft brewers offer excellent lower-alcohol "session" beers perfect for longer sporting events.
• Seasonal alignment: The seasonal nature of many sports pairs perfectly with the rotating seasonal offerings from craft breweries.

Pairing Beer with Different Sports

Football (Soccer)

The beautiful game demands beautiful beer. Here's what we recommend:

• Premier League matches: A classic English bitter or ESB (Extra Special Bitter) pays homage to football's English roots. Try Fuller's London Pride or Timothy Taylor's Landlord.
• Champions League nights: Go continental with a crisp German pilsner or a Belgian blonde ale. Camden's Pils or Duvel are excellent choices.
• World Cup/International tournaments: Explore beers from the competing nations! A Brazilian day calls for a refreshing craft lager with lime, while a match against Germany might call for a proper Bavarian wheat beer.
• Derby matches: Local rivalries deserve local brews. For London derbies, we recommend beers from Beavertown, Pressure Drop, or Brick Brewery.

Rugby

The physical nature of rugby calls for beers with substance and character:

• Six Nations matches: Embrace the tournament's heritage with a traditional ale from the competing nation. Welsh Brains SA, Irish Guinness, or Scottish Innis & Gunn would all be appropriate.
• Premiership Rugby: A robust English porter or stout matches the power and intensity of club rugby. Try Anspach & Hobday's The Porter or Thornbridge's Necessary Evil.
• Rugby World Cup: For those early morning Southern Hemisphere matches, start with a coffee-infused beer like Siren's Broken Dream Breakfast Stout.

Cricket

Cricket's genteel pace and potential for day-long viewing requires strategic beer selection:

• Test Matches: Session IPAs or pale ales with moderate ABV (3.5-4.5%) allow you to enjoy the full day's play. Thornbridge Jaipur Session IPA or Five Points Pale are ideal companions.
• T20 matches: The faster pace of T20 cricket pairs well with bold, fruit-forward New England IPAs. Try Verdant's Bloom or Cloudwater's DIPA series.
• The Ashes: Alternate between English and Australian beers depending on who's on top! We recommend Hawksmoor English IPA when England is batting and Stone & Wood Pacific Ale when Australia has the upper hand.

American Sports

For those staying up late to catch NFL, NBA, or MLB games:

• NFL: American craft IPAs are the perfect match here. Look for beers from Beavertown Brewery's Lupuloid IPA or BrewDog's Elvis Juice.
• NBA: The fast-paced, athletic nature of basketball pairs well with crisp, clean craft lagers or session IPAs. Camden Hells or Northern Monk's Eternal Session IPA work well.
• MLB: Baseball's leisurely pace calls for easy-drinking wheat beers or blonde ales. Try The Kernel's Table Beer or Camden's Gentleman's Wit.

Pairing Beer with Different Moments

Pre-Game

Before the action begins, you want something refreshing but not too heavy:

• Light session ales (3.5-4.5% ABV) allow you to enjoy a few pints without overwhelming your palate.
• Craft pilsners and lagers offer clean, crisp flavors that prepare your palate without dominating it.
• Wheat beers with their light body and refreshing character make excellent starters.
• Our recommendation: Start with Lost and Grounded's Keller Pils or The Kernel's Table Beer.

During the Game

The main event calls for beers that complement the emotional journey:

• Pale ales and IPAs offer enough complexity to keep your interest during slower moments but are familiar enough to not distract during crucial plays.
• Amber/red ales with their balance of malt and hop character make for versatile game-time companions.
• Session IPAs deliver big hop flavor without the high alcohol content, perfect for games that go into extra time.
• Our recommendation: Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA or Five Points Railway Porter.

Celebrations and Commiserations

When the final whistle blows, your beer choice should match the outcome:

• Victory beer: Celebrate with something special like a limited edition imperial stout or a barrel-aged strong ale. Siren's Broken Dream or Wild Beer Co's Millionaire are worthy celebration beers.
• Defeat beer: Comfort yourself with something familiar and reliable, like a well-made best bitter or milk stout. Timothy Taylor's Landlord or Left Handed Giant's Milk Stout can help ease the pain.
• Nail-biter finish: After a tense ending, regardless of outcome, you might need a higher ABV beer to calm the nerves. Try Northern Monk's Faith Modern IPA or Magic Rock's High Wire Grapefruit.

Beer Styles and Their Sporting Companions

IPAs and Pale Ales

The backbone of craft beer, these hop-forward styles pair well with most sporting events:

• American IPAs: Bold and assertive, these match well with high-energy sports like basketball and American football.
• Session IPAs: Lower in alcohol but still flavorful, these are perfect for longer events like cricket or rugby tournaments.
• New England/Hazy IPAs: Juicy and less bitter, these smooth-drinking IPAs pair well with summer sports like cricket and tennis.
• British pale ales: More balanced than their American counterparts, these traditional ales are perfect for football and rugby matches.

Stouts and Porters

Dark, roasty beers that work particularly well with winter sports:

• Irish Dry Stout: The classic Guinness style is a natural fit for rugby and football, especially during colder months.
• Milk/Sweet Stout: The added lactose creates a smoother, sweeter beer that's accessible even to those who don't typically enjoy dark beers.
• Imperial Stout: High-ABV, complex, and perfect for sipping during slower-paced events or as a post-match analysis beer.
• Porter: Slightly lighter than stout but still rich in flavor, porters are versatile enough to pair with many winter sporting events.

Lagers and Pilsners

Clean, crisp, and refreshing – ideal for summer sports viewing:

• Czech Pilsner: The original pilsner style, with a pronounced hop character that adds interest without overwhelming.
• German Helles: Malt-forward but still refreshing, these lagers pair well with daytime sporting events.
• Italian Pilsner: Dry-hopped for extra aroma, these modern craft lagers are perfect for football matches.
• Vienna Lager: Amber-colored with a toasty malt character, these work well for autumn sporting events.